1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a restraint release. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a restraint release that secures an occupant during normal vehicle movements but that automatically releases the occupant upon being submerged in water.
2. Description of the Background Art
A wide variety of passive restraint systems are in use today. Passive restraints are designed to restrain a passenger's upper and lower body in the event of an accident. Passive restraints are widely utilized in both land and air based vehicles. Passive restraints typically include a lap and shoulder belt. These belts can be formed either as single or separate webbings. At the end of the webbing a male tang is secured. The tang is adapted to be releasably secured within a female buckle. The passenger is secured by inserting the tang into to a buckle. A mechanism, such as a push button or lever, can thereafter be accessed to release the restraint.
A dilemma underscores the design of all restraint systems. The restraint must be robust enough to withstand the shocks and impacts associated with vehicle accidents and thereby avoid the unintended release of the restraint. However, the restraint must not be so robust as to preclude passenger egress following an accident. Although a passenger must be properly restrained during an accident, following the accident the passenger must be able to quickly and easily access the release mechanism associated with the restraint.
This design dilemma is heightened in the event of water related accidents. When an automobile, airplane, or helicopter crashes into a body of water, there is a critical need to ensure that the passengers are properly restrained. However, once the forces associated with the accident have subsided, there is typically a small window of time in which the passengers must release themselves from the restraint and exit the vehicle. The inability of a passenger to egress from a vehicle following an accident upon entering the water has resulted in fatal consequences.